Gustavus women’s soccer lost to Nebraska Wesleyan 3-2 in overtime Sunday afternoon in St. Peter. The Prairie Wolves didn’t hold a lead in the game until scoring the game-winner with just under three minutes to play in overtime. Chelsea Craven scored both of the Gustavus goals but they weren’t enough to get the Gusties a win. Gustavus drops its second consecutive game and moves to a record of 2-2. Nebraska Wesleyan improves its record to 2-1-1.
The Gusties first opportunity to score came with 35 minutes to play in the first half when Amy Larson (Sr., Bloomington, Minn.) received a pass to the right of the keeper from Jenna Iaizzo (Jr., White Bear Lake, Minn.), after realizing she couldn’t get a good shot off Larson passed the ball to Alison Rethwisch (Sr., Lakeville, Minn.) who booted it towards the net but unfortunately the ball bounced off the post.
With a little under five minutes to play in the first half Craven (Fy., Sauk Rapids, Minn.) put the Gusties on top by one when she broke free of the defenders and took the ball up field punching it past the Nebraska Wesleyan keeper for a 1-0 Gustie lead. However, the lead didn’t last long as 17 seconds later the Prairie Wolves went on the attack and Stephanie Anderson shot the ball just out of Julie Mahre’s (Jr., White Bear Lake, Minn.) reach to tie the score at 1-1.
Play went back and forth in the second half until, more than 30 minutes into the half Craven scored her second goal of the game on a hard kick that slipped by the keeper. Gustavus led 2-1 with less than 15 minutes to play. Once again, the Gustie lead did not last long as nearly four minutes later Nebraska Wesleyan’s Liz Baltzell shot it past Mahre. Regulation play ended with the score tied at 2-2.
Overtime play went back and forth between the two teams, however with less than two minutes to play Lindsay Priefert shot it high at the goal and Mahre reached for the ball but it was not quite enough as it rolled off her finger tips into the goal. Nebraska Wesleyan finished on top 3-2.
Gustavus outshot the Prairie Wolves 21-13 and led in corner kicks 7-0. Mahre saved six shots for the Gusties, while Vicki Koke stopped ten shots for Nebraska Wesleyan in the win.
Gustavus will begin its MIAC season on Wednesday in Northfield against the Knights of Carleton. On Saturday, the team will play the Concordia-Moorhead Cobbers in St. Peter in another MIAC matchup.